I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to animal confinement pens, and more particularly to a modular pen especially adapted for holding newly borne calves for a time sufficient to wean the animal of its suckling instinct.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
On dairy farms, when new calves are born, they are separated from the mother shortly after birth for several weeks until they lose the suckling and nursing instinct. The calf, when confined, must be fed and maintained in a clean environment.
Many forms of confinement pens are known in the art. The Schulte U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,060 describes a confinement pen and shelter for outdoor use that is fabricated from lumber and is intended to be a permanent structure. Multiple enclosures are mounted on a set of skids and a false floor is slotted to permit manure to drop through. After a predetermined period of use, the entire structure may be dragged by a tractor to a new location, leaving the manure behind for pick up by a front end loader or the like. The animal enclosure described in the Schulte patent would be impractical for use in a dairy barn in that it would take up valuable space even when not in use.
Thus, it is a desirable feature of a box stall for calves or other domestic farm animals that it be easy to set up and knock down and easily stored in its knocked-down condition occupying a minimum of space.
The Meng U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,994 describes a calf stall having a base that is elevated from the ground and formed from steel tubes defining legs into which vertical posts may be inserted. The upper ends of the vertical posts are connected by tie rods and provision is made for mounting plywood wall members along opposed side edges. The floor of the stall comprises a grate that allows manure to pass through it. The base members are designed so that a plurality of stalls may be assembled in side-by-side relation. In that the stall in the Ming '994 patent does not have a rear panel, the animal must be tethered. Rather than having a front panel, a series of rods are welded to a frame where the spacing is such that the animal's head may protrude between the spaced bars. A pail holder is welded to the spaced bars for feeding purposes.
While the Meng '994 patent is designed for in-barn use, it is relatively difficult to assemble and knock down. Also, given the shape of the several parts, it cannot be stored flat.
Yet another prior art calf containment pen is disclosed in the Smith U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,555. It comprises a pen structure composed of at least two pen sections with front and rear walls formed of panels that are removably mounted for set up and knock down. The front and rear walls are pivotally connected to the floor structure of expanded metal, allowing the front and rear walls to collapse against the floor when the sidewalls have been removed. The stalls are designed to be mounted on skids that bolt to the sides of the pen sections. To completely set up and knock down the assembly, it is necessary to insert and tighten or remove and store 26 bolts. This can be quite time consuming and the parts may be lost or misplaced.
A need, therefore, exists for a calf holding pen or box stall that is simple and quick to assemble and disassemble without the use of tools of any type and having no nuts, bolts, snaps, etc. to lose and that are fabricated entirely of materials that can be readily cleaned with a pressure washer following use and that are stacked flat for ease of storage. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide such a box stall.